If you get to choose what store you go to, and you'd go to one that may be more expensive because you'd get personal rewards points from it, that would certainly be unethical. But if you are ordered to go to one particular store, or that one is the cheapest or otherwise more suitable from the company's point of view, it's not clearly unethical though your company may frown on it anyway.
There are two different aspects to it:
- First, bribes. All rewards points systems are in effect bribes - they are an offering of reward when you purchase more things from the seller. Of course, usually they are quite small bribes.
First, bribes. All rewards points systems are in effect bribes - they are an offering of reward when you purchase more things from the seller. Of course, usually they are quite small bribes.
Most larger companies will have some rules about how to choose a vendor, and rules about what kind/size of gifts are considered bribes. (As a consultant, I know some companies that don't even accept a gift of candy around Christmas or Halloween... and others that accept quite a bit more!) The bigger the decision you can make is, and the bigger the gift, the more careful you need to be.
Compensation and fairness thereof. If you are always the one who gets sent to the store, and you get a number of rewards points every time you go there, then you are effectively being given an opportunity to get monetary compensation that your coworkers don't get. They may or may not consider this unfair. If it's a huge amount of money (unlikely!) it may even be taxable.
Most larger companies will have some rules about how to choose a vendor, and rules about what kind/size of gifts are considered bribes. (As a consultant, I know some companies that don't even accept a gift of candy around Christmas or Halloween... and others that accept quite a bit more!) The bigger the decision you can make is, and the bigger the gift, the more careful you need to be.
- Compensation and fairness thereof. If you are always the one who gets sent to the store, and you get a number of rewards points every time you go there, then you are effectively being given an opportunity to get monetary compensation that your coworkers don't get. They may or may not consider this unfair. If it's a huge amount of money (unlikely!) it may even be taxable.
As long as it's a small amount and not a regular issue, I don't think any company will reasonably object. Still, I'd recommend that you check with your boss. If they think it's OK for you to use your rewards card, you're in the clear. If not, not.